(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Three elderly Kenyan veterans are back in court seeking compensation and an apology for extreme torture by the British during colonial rule in Kenya.

The case, now in its crucial stage, aims to see the UK government take responsibility for what happened to the elders when they were in detention camps. The veterans claim physical mistreatment of the most serious kind, including rape, castration and severe beating, amounting to torture.

Last year, the elderly Kenyans won a ruling that they had "arguable cases in law", but they are now facing the British government's claim that the actions were brought outside the legal time limit. The case continues for ten days with the court making a decision on whether or not a full trial can take place.

The three allege torture between 1952 and 1960 during the Mau Mau uprising against the British colonial rulers. One of the elders, Paulo Nzili, 85 suffered castration and was burned by a police officer, and also says that he saw others at the detention center being beaten daily.

Wambugu wa Nyingi, 84, was in detention for 10 years and claims he was continually beaten and tortured. Jane Muthoni Mara, 73 claims she was beaten and suffered sexual abuse while at a screening centre and prison as alleged by court documents. The fourth claimant died last year.

Nyingi said: "I have brought this case because I want the world to know about the years I have lost and what was taken from a generation of Kenyans. The settlers took our land, they killed our people and they burnt down our houses." In addition to the apology, the trio want a Mau Mau welfare fund to ensure they and other victims can live with an element of dignity in their final days.